FOOD HYGENE

exscusethepig

Regarding TV cookery shows has anybody ever noticed some chef's don't bother to wash thier hands after handling raw meat and the ones that do wash go back and handle the equipment they used earlier.They then plate up the food with thier contaminated hands.How safe is this?
It seems to me that if they can behave like this on National TV that I might be a bit OTT when it comes to food hygene.
Can anyone clear this up for me.

ElleEm

I've definitly noticed this- where they may quickly run their hands under a tap (no soap) after handling meat, or they'll use the same teatowel to wipe the counter that they use to wipe their hands, etc.
I understand the time constraints on live TV but they are effectively teaching people how to cook, so I don't think they set a good example.

duploelabs

If its live tv then its pretty bad but some things can get cut by an unknowledgable editor if its a pre-recorded show. Besides you're not eating the food, if you knew have the stuff that slips in restaurants, or any food preparation situation, then you'd never eat out again

exscusethepig

Some of the TV shows have guests on that actually taste the dishes and I agree its not only confined to these shows - if you watch a chef in action in a cafe or resturant chances are he will do the same and then serve it up. If you believe what you read you would have to be constantly disenfecting everything in the kitchen.
I just wondered if there is an acctable level of this conduct among chefs and if our immune system can cope with it without problems.

the beer revolu

I was always led to believe that the vast majority of food poisoning cases are caused in the home rather than from professional kitchens.

And as pointed out, do remember that most cookery on TV is heavily edited. Editors don't find it very interesting to have the chef washing his/her hands on screen.

I've worked on a few cookery shows and have never seen anything done on set that would make me hesitate before tucking in. But then, I certainly wouldn't be a signed up member of the 'Food Hygiene Police'.;)

exscusethepig

the beer revolu wrote: »

I was always led to believe that the vast majority of food poisoning cases are caused in the home rather than from professional kitchens.

And as pointed out, do remember that most cookery on TV is heavily edited. Editors don't find it very interesting to have the chef washing his/her hands on screen.

I've worked on a few cookery shows and have never seen anything done on set that would make me hesitate before tucking in. But then, I certainly wouldn't be a signed up member of the 'Food Hygiene Police'.;)

In answer to that I'm talking about real time shows and one of them that goes out live on Saturday morning.
In front of your eyes these Chefs do this.

exscusethepig

ElleEm wrote: »

I've definitly noticed this- where they may quickly run their hands under a tap (no soap) after handling meat, or they'll use the same teatowel to wipe the counter that they use to wipe their hands, etc.
I understand the time constraints on live TV but they are effectively teaching people how to cook, so I don't think they set a good example.

Glad to hear you noticed too EllEm but don't imagine we'll ever get an answer from the food industry on it.

duploelabs

Well in defense of the food industry, as with everything that's portrayed on tv and what actually happens IRL are two very different things

unkel

exscusethepig wrote: »

Regarding TV cookery shows has anybody ever noticed some chef's don't bother to wash thier hands after handling raw meat and the ones that do wash go back and handle the equipment they used earlier.They then plate up the food with thier contaminated hands.How safe is this?
It seems to me that if they can behave like this on National TV that I might be a bit OTT when it comes to food hygene.
Can anyone clear this up for me.

Yep I always wonder about this. The not washing hands is bad, but totally disgusting is the wiping spills off the plates with a filthy towel just before serving

Makes me feel a bit OCD about cleaning / hygiene sometimes - how can those famous chefs be wrong after all? But I know it isn't right.

watna

The worst is when the taste something with a spoon, lick it and then put it back in the pot. I can't remember any examples but I've definitely noticed it and now I'm on edge whenever I watch cooking programmes, waiting to see what they do with the spoons :pac:

It's fine to do if you're just cooking for yourself/OH but often it'll be on programmes where they're teaching you how to cook for guests.

ElleEm

watna wrote: »

The worst is when the taste something with a spoon, lick it and then put it back in the pot. I can't remember any examples but I've definitely noticed it and now I'm on edge whenever I watch cooking programmes, waiting to see what they do with the spoons :pac:

It's fine to do if you're just cooking for yourself/OH but often it'll be on programmes where they're teaching you how to cook for guests.

+1.

They're hounds for it on Come Dine with Me.

Corsendonk

Chefs wouldn't be the best at record keeping too, so no temperature checks of food and fridges recorded or cleaning records. Usual reply is that they are artists and haven't time for that.

rubadub

duploelabs wrote: »

an unknowledgable editor if its a pre-recorded show.

Then these editors should be educated, and any self respecting chef would go mental if they edited out such important safety details. Watch any mythbusters type show and you get several warnings what not to do at home. Even when you see chefs doing things properly they do not always highlight what they are doing, and why. They could even have safety warnings edited in later on non-live shows.

exscusethepig wrote: »

In answer to that I'm talking about real time shows and one of them that goes out live on Saturday morning.
In front of your eyes these Chefs do this.

I see this all the time, no editing or cutting, you see it all, and I am not OTT about the issue myself but some of what they do disgusts me.

duploelabs wrote: »

Well in defense of the food industry, as with everything that's portrayed on tv and what actually happens IRL are two very different things

Thing is many of these programs are instructing people how to do it at home.

ElleEm wrote: »

They're hounds for it on Come Dine with Me.

Yeah he always throws in comments like "the secret ingredient is saliva", however in some cases like this the stuff goes on to be fully cooked, so though it might be gross it is not really a food poisoning danger.

duploelabs

rubadub wrote: »

Then these editors should be educated, and any self respecting chef would go mental if they edited out such important safety details.

says something about the standard and motivation behind tv chefs

exscusethepig

I wasn't only talking about TV chefs,take this morning for instance - while having a coffee in a canteen I watched the chef handle rashers sausages ect. then he took a tray of hot scones from the oven and prodded one with his finger to see if they were ready - still no hands washed he then transfared the whole batch of scones by hand into the display area and the funny thing is he provided a tongs for the customer to use to pick up the scone with.

duploelabs

well I'd make a complaint to the management, that's a serious lapse.

Mellor

did he use the same hand

duploelabs

Mellor wrote: »

did he use the same hand

TWSS

the beer revolu

duploelabs wrote: »

TWSS

It wasn't specified.

rubadub

exscusethepig wrote: »

the funny thing is he provided a tongs for the customer to use to pick up the scone with.

Its weird how people miss the point of things. Like those "hands free" dettol spray things, saying that the top of normal soap dispensers are full of germs. The things are pointless, if the top was indeed filthy then you are squirting out antibacterial stuff so it doesn't really matter. But the bigger pointless thing is the fact you have to turn off the filthy tap handle when you are finished! they never show that in the ads.

Or people going overboard cleaning their hands in a toilet and then exit using the filthy handle on the door.

the beer revolu

rubadub wrote: »

Or people going overboard cleaning their hands in a toilet and then exit using the filthy handle on the door.

Yes, I use my Jedi skills to open toilet doors.

exscusethepig

the beer revolu wrote: »

Yes, I use my Jedi skills to open toilet doors.

Careful you don't get done for flashing.